Audi's New F1 Driver Ranks High In The Books Of Fernando Alonso And Max Verstappen

Saajan Jogia | Nov 6, 2024

Audi F1 / Audi Press Image

With Audi set to complete its takeover of the Sauber F1 team in 2026, the recent multi-year signing of Gabriel Bortoleto for next season has made headlines. Notably, the 20-year-old has garnered praise from three-time world champion Max Verstappen and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso in the past.

Poised to join Nico Hulkenberg in 2025, F2 championship leader Bortoleto emerged as the final choice for Sauber's last open Formula 1 seat amid strong competition. Among the reported contenders were current Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas, Williams interim driver Franco Colapinto, and Mercedes reserve driver Mick Schumacher. By signing Bortoleto, Audi sent out a message that it intends to have a perfect blend of experience and young talent with no strings attached, in its driver lineup.

Leading the junior category championship by 4.5 points over Isack Hadjar, Bortoleto has received notable praise from Alonso, who reportedly played a role in helping him secure the final F1 seat. During the Belgian GP at Spa-Francorchamps, Alonso was seen entering the Sauber motorhome, likely to discuss Bortoleto’s advancement to Formula 1. Bortoleto was represented by Alonso's A14 Management Agency, which is committed to developing and guiding emerging racing talent.

The Aston Martin driver highlighted that unlike many of his F2 and F3 peers, Bortoleto hasn’t had access to the same testing opportunities. While it’s common for junior drivers to gain experience by testing with older machinery, this resource hasn’t been available to Bortoleto, setting him apart from others in the series. Alonso stated in September:

"He's an incredible talent and a very humble person as well – I think that's the biggest thing that we need to work on.

"He's a hard worker aside from his talent, and I think that's why in Formula 3 and Formula 2 he had this much progress. I think also he's someone that is taking things very seriously as well, which at that age is never a guarantee. 

"On budgets and things like that, he won the championship as a rookie in Formula 3, and he's fighting for the championship as a rookie in Formula 2, but without the testing of many other rookies. So he's probably the only 'rookie rookie' in the championship. So this was an amazing achievement so far. And let's see what the future brings. But it's a matter of time that he gets to F1."

Verstappen had made a big claim about the Brazilian driver, saying that "if I was Sauber, I would have signed him already." He added:

"That's the future with young drivers. And ‘26, a big rule change, it's always good to get used to a team already for a year, make your mistakes here and there, get integrated well, and understand the car a bit. You always feel much more prepared and comfortable when you then start in ‘26."